What was the vacancy rate at Basic Education level in NEC report 2006?

What was the vacancy rate at Basic Education level in NEC report 2006? (a) 1.2% (b) 6.7% (c) 9.3% (d) 6.5% ✅ Correct option: (d) 6.5% Explanation (200+ words) The vacancy rate at the Basic Education level as reported in NEC 2006 was 6.5%. Basic education generally includes primary and middle schooling, which forms the foundation of Pakistan’s education system. This vacancy rate indicates a significant shortage of teachers, particularly in rural and underdeveloped areas. Basic education schools are often located in remote regions where teachers face challenges such as lack of housing, transport, and basic facilities. As a result, many sanctioned posts remain unfilled. Teacher shortages at the basic level have serious implications: multi-grade teaching, increased student-teacher ratios, poor learning outcomes, and higher dropout rates. NEC findings emphasized that improving teacher availability at the basic level was essential for achieving Universal Primary Education (UPE) and improving literacy rates. For PPSC, this question is important because it links teacher availability with education quality, a recurring theme in education-related exams. 10 PPSC-Relevant Facts 1. Basic education = primary + middle 2. Vacancy rate shows staffing gaps 3. Rural schools most affected 4. Teacher shortage affects learning 5. Multi-grade teaching common 6. Basic education is policy priority 7. NEC highlights access issues 8. Teacher deployment uneven 9. Recruitment reforms needed 10. Staffing MCQs frequent in PPSC